Connector



March 10, 1970 M. LIBERMAN 3,

CONNECTOR Filed llay 3, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 United States Patent 3,500,284 CONNECTOR Milton Liberman, 65 Seawane Road, East Rockaway, N.Y. 11518 Filed May 3, 1968, Ser. No. 726,388 Int. Cl. H01]: 3/36 US. Cl. 339-14 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improved connector for polarized plugs carrying a separate ground and having means for connecting a series of them one to the others for providing banks of outlets.

This invention relates to connectors of the type generally utilized for energizing electrical appliances, lighting fixtures, and the like, and more specifically, to a novel and improved outlet adaptable for use with difierent types of mounting means and which is characterized by its simplicity, ease of manufacture and versatility.

The improved connector in accordance with the inven tion comprises two portions of insulating material adapted to be secured one to the other and at the'time time retaining a grounding bar and two electrical contactors in position therebetween. The insulating portions when assembled have openings on each end thereof for cooperation with the contacting members so that current carrying wires can be connected to the outlet merely by forcibly inserting the wires in openings on each end thereof. By reason of the novel and improved arrangement of the housing elements, the entire structure together with the grounding bar, as well as the electric contactors are automatically retained in position by single fastening means, such as a nut and bolt, or the like.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel and improved arrangement of the housing elements of an outlet or connector which facilitates mounting in openings in a plate of metal or other suitable material.

Still another object of the invention resides in a novel and improved connector or outlet having mating housing parts of insulating material and which are arranged to receive and hold the metal contacting elements for supplying energy and for receiving and gripping the ends of current carrying conductors without the need for fastening means such as screws and the like. The novel and improved arrangement of elements in accordance with the invention enables current carrying conductors to be inserted into openings on one end for frictional engagement with the contacting elements to supply energy thereto and similarly into the other end of the outlet for supplying energy to additional outlets or other electrical appliances.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel and improved female connector or outlet for use in supplying electrical energy for use in operating electrical devices that might be plugged into the outlet.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings forming part of this application.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a female connector or outlet in accordance with the invention;

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FIGURE 2 is a perspective view showing one structure for mounting the outlet illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of still another structure for mounting the outlet illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an exploded perspective view of the housing portions with the electrical contacting elements removed;

FIGURE 5 is an elevational view of the inner side of the front housing portion;

FIGURE 6 is an elevational view of the inner side of the rear housing portion;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the outlet shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 7 taken along the line 88 thereof;

FIGURE 9 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 7 taken along the line 99 thereof; and

FIGURE 10 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 9 taken along the line 10-1'0 thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, the outlet 10 is formed of two mating housing portions 11 and 12. The front housing portion 11 has a front face 13 having a pair of openings 14 and 15 having spring contactors therein, and a third opening 16 containing contactors for grounding an appliance being energized by the outlet. The front face 13 of the outlet is provided with a pair of corner recesses 17 extending transversely thereof, and the sides 18 of the rear housing portion 12 terminate in spaced relationship to the front Wall and provide longitudinal channels 19. The sides 18 also taper inwardly to the rear as indicated at 18'. The recesses 17 and the channels 19 provide alternate means for mounting the outlet 10 as illustrated more clearly in FIGURES 2 and 3. In FIGURE 2 the outlet 10 is mounted from the backside of a metal plate 20 having an opening 21 therein corresponding in size and configuration to the front face 13. The edges of the recesses 17 lie against the backside of the plate 20.

A bracket 22 bridges the outlet 10 and is secured to the plate 20 by screws 23 or rivets thus holding the outlet firmly in place. With the structure shown in FIGURE 3, a mounting plate 24 is provided with an opening 25 having a length corresponding to the length of the outlet shown in FIGURE 1 and a width approximately equal to the distance between the bases of the channels 19. By removing the rear housing part 12, the front housing part can then be inserted into the opening 25 wherein the rear housing portion and terminal elements can be replaced and secured together by the screw 26 to hold the outlet firmly in position in the opening. In cases where the plate 24 is of relatively thin material, the opening 25 may include cutouts on each end thereof to accommodate the grounding terminal ends 27 and the sides of the openings can be slotted so that the outlet by reason of the taper 18' can be merely pushed into place through the opening and the sides of the openings will deflect inwardly until the outlet is seated at which time the side edges will snap into the channels 19. The outlet may also be similarly mounted in a channel of resilient material having inwardly formed flanges to engage the channels 19.

Referring now to FIGURES 4 through 10, the openings 14, 15, and 16 extend through the front housing portion 11. The rear face of the housing portion 11 is denoted by the numberal 28 and end walls 29 extend beyond the inner face 28 and have an outwardly extended rounded portion 30 to support the grounding terminal structure denoted by the numeral 31. The terminal 31 further includes end terminals 27 extending from each side of the outlet. The grounding terminal structure 31 will be described in greater detail in connection with FIGURES 7 and 8'.

The inner surface 28 of the body 11 includes recessed portions 32 on each end of each of the openings 14 and 15. Adjoining the outer edge of each opening is a deeper recessed portion 33 having a width slightly greater than the width of the current carrying conductor to be connected to the outlet. Adjoining the side of each opening 14 and 15 is a T-shaped structure or mount 34 which extends above the inner surface 28. The center portion 34 of the T-shaped mount has its inner face substantially coincident with the inner face of the associated opening. The recess surfaces 35 adjoining the T-shaped member 34 are at a level substantially coincident with the level of the recessed portions 32. The raised portions 36 adjoining the surfaces 35 have top surfaces substantially coplanar with the inner surface 28 of the body portion 11 and the outer edges 36' are tapered to facilitate insertion of a connecting cable as Will be described. A pair of relatively large corner recesses 37 of substantial depth extend from the top edge of the body portion 11 and each recess terminates in inwardly tapered portions 37' with these portions terminating coincident with the recessed portion 33 and adjoining side wall 38. The bottom end of the housing 11 as shown in FIGURE 4 includes recesses 39 also having tapered sections 39 which correspond to the tapered sections 37'. In each instance the recesses 37 and 39 are large enough to accommodate the insulation surrounding the conductor while the conductor itself will be guided inwardly on the surface of the recessed portion 33.

The opening 16 extending inwardly from the front face 13 is essentially rectangular in configuration with one edge being curved to accommodate the conventional grounding terminal carried by a cooperating male plug. The inner portion 16' of this opening as viewed in FIG- URE 4 is of essentially elongated rectangular construction with a curved recess in one side thereof. As will be shown, the rectangular portion of 16' accommodates the grounding contactors which are formed integrally with the grounding terminal 31.

The rear body portion 12 has a pair of side walls 40 that slidably engage the sides of the front body portion 11 and rest against the shoulders 41 on the body portion 11. The thickness of the walls 40 is greater than the Width of the shoulders 41 so that the walls 40 extend beyond the shoulders to form a channel between the ends of the side walls 40 and the outwardly extending portion 42 of the front face 13. The body portion 12 further includes an elongated channel 43 having a curved portion 43' which is spaced from the side wall parts 30 of the body portion 11 when the outlet is assembled and accommodates the grounding terminal member 31. In addition, recesses 44 adjoining the channel 43 overlie the inner ends of the openings 14 and 15 and as will be shown function to hold the contacting members in position in the openings 14 and 15 and support the ends of these contacting members for frictional engagement with the current conductors connected to the outlet. Channels 45 and 46 on each end of each recess 44 cooperate with the corner recesses 37 and 39 to form rectangular openings into which conductors may be inserted. Aligned holes 47 in the body portion 11 and 48 in the body portion 12 accommodate a bolt 49 and cooperating nut 50 to hold the two portions one to the other.

Referring now to FIGURES 7 through 10, it will be observed that the grounding terminal 31 consists of an elongated channel-shaped central body part 51 having a pair of spaced legs 52 that extend into the rectangular portion 16 of the opening 16 to contact the grounding post on a conventional male plug. The grounding terminal 31 further includes outwardly extending terminal portions 27 previously described and enables grounding leads to be secured to each end of the outlet. The current carrying contactors each comprise a flat plate 53 which overlies the T-shaped portions 34 on the front body portion 11. Downwardly bent end portions 54 on the plate 53 extend downwardly into engagement with the surfaces 32 and 35 and an elongated contacting member 55 extends downwardly from the plate 53 and enters the associated opening 14 or 15 as the case may be. The spring contactor 55 is positioned relative to the plate 53 so that the backside of the contactor 55 rests against the side wall of the portion 34' of the T-shaped support 34. With this arrangement it will be observed that the lower ends of the downwardly extending portions 54 are in spaced relationship with the base of the channel 33. The spacing is somewhat less than the diameter of a conventional solid conductor wire for electric wiring so that when a conductor is forced into the openings 37 or 39, as the case may be, they will be frictionally engaged by the lower edges of the downwardly bent portions 54.

When the body portions 11 and 12 are assembled as shown in FIGURES 7 through 10, the recesses 44 in the body portion 12 engage the top faces of the contactor plates 53 to centrally locate them and secure them in position. At the same time the channels 45 and 46 in the rear body portion 12 cooperate with the channels 37 and 39 in the front body portion to provide rectangular openings to accommodate the insulation on the conductor and permit the bare conductor to be guided inwardly into engagement with the spring elements.

While only one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is apparent that alterations, modifications and changes may be made without departing from the true scope and spirit thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A female connector for electrical energy comprising a housing of insulating material having a front face and side and end walls, a pair of spaced openings formed in the front face of said body, spring contactors in said openings, a third opening in said front face with a spring contactor disposed therein, a pair of openings in each end wall of said housing adjoining said face, spring connectors in said openings and connected with the contactors in said pair of openings, said connectors being adapted to receive and hold energy carrying conductors inserted in said end wall openings, terminal means extending from each end wall and connected with the spring contactor in said third opening, said housing further including a corner recess along each edge of said face adjoining each end wall and channels in each side wall and extending throughout the length of said body adjoining said front face, the side edges of said front face extending slightly beyond the edges of said side walls adjoining the last said channels.

2. A female connector according to claim 1 wherein said housing is formed of a front portion including said front face and parts of said end walls and a rear housing portion including said side walls, said housing portions having cooperating facing recesses in the inner surfaces thereof for receiving and retaining said spring contactors, connectors, and terminals.

3. A female connector according to claim 2 wherein said terminal means is in the form of an elongated U- shaped channel with the spring contactor in said third opening being integrally formed therewith.

4. A female connector according to claim 2 wherein each spring contactor in said pair of openings includes a flat elongated member of conductive material disposed in a plane parallel to said front face, a spring contact carried by and extending normal to said member, said contact being disposed in one of said pair of openings and said connectors comprise downwardly formed ends on said member.

5. A female connector comprising a pair of mating housing portion formed of insulating material, one of said portions having at least three openings extending therethrough, said one portion having a substantially flat outer face, recesses in the inner face adjoining two of said openings and a pair of centrally positioned members at opposing ends of said one portion and extending from the inner face, a metal contactor in each of said recesses, said contactors each having an essentially flat body part with downwardly and inwardly formed ends extending into said recess and a central portion normal to said body and extending into one of said openings, said one housing portion further including channels extending from each end of each recess and opening into the ends of said one housing portion, an upwardly extending narrow wall on each end of said one housing portion, an elongated U- shaped terminal overlying said narrow walls and extending outwardly therefrom, Spaced prongs carried by said U-shaped terminal and extending into the third of said openings, the other of said housing portions overlying said one housing portion and having a longitudinal channel overlying said U-shaped terminal and downwardly extending side walls overlying the sides of said one housing portion.

6. A female connector according to claim 5 wherein said housing includes corner recesses extending transversely of said housing and along the ends of said face and channels along the side thereof and in close proximity to said face, the side edges of said face extending beyond the side walls of said other housing portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner P. A. CLIFFORD, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 339-95, 126, 133 

